


Bearly Maturing

by Terygon



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Constructive Criticism Welcome, Fluff, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-01
Updated: 2017-04-12
Packaged: 2018-10-13 17:27:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10518429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Terygon/pseuds/Terygon
Summary: There are just some things in a grown bear's life he should be able to deal with without his mother's help.





	1. Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> Why do things end up so much longer than when they're in my head?
> 
> AKA: This wasn't supposed to be chaptered.

Trinket rubs his bruised nose with his forepaw, grumbling at the tree that has suddenly jumped into his path. After a good shake he forgets the tree, continuing along his way and his train of thought. He comes up on the gates to Percy Dear's Sister's enormous stone den, remembers to wave a greeting to the armored men standing there (that is polite, and a Good Bear is always polite) and walks through. As he passes through one of the flower places, a stone rolls under his paw, making him stumble. He sits down to wonder why the world is against him today.

He should talk to Mama Vex. Mama Vex knows everything about everything, so she would be the best one to help. He should talk to Mama Vex, but he doesn't.

There are just some things in a grown bear's life he should be able to deal with without his mother's help.

Trinket thinks about giving up, but images of russet-tipped brown fur covering a body rippling with muscle and fat in all the right places floats across his mind. He hears a challenging growl that ends in a full-throated roar. A musky, foresty, female smell fills his thoughts, and he knows he has to keep trying.

He ponders on who could help, quickly thinking of Grog. Grog is the closest to a bear of all their family, besides Trinket himself, and often comes home smelling of females. Maybe Trinket could use Grog's tricks, if he could find out what they are.

He goes to the fighting place, but Grog is not there. He considers going to Grog's lair, then decides to try the place with food first. Grog is often there, and if he isn't, the nice woman who likes to give Good Bears treats might be. When a Good Bear is hungry, he sometimes becomes a Bad Bear without meaning to, and that is not a good thing. Luckily he finds both Grog and the nice woman in the place with food.

After Trinket makes his best Sad Bear eyes at the nice woman, he takes the sausages she gives him and sits near Grog, who is eating, too. He sniffs the air, finding that, yes, Grog has the scent he has before he comes home smelling of females. He stares up at Grog, who seems to be finishing his food, and grumbles a question.

“Hey, Trinket, buddy! How's it hangin'?” the big man roars. Trinket gruffs that he is fine and would like to talk. Unfortunately Grog does not speak Bear.

Grog rubs his fist over the top of Trinket's head and laughs. “No wrestlin' today. I've got an appointment with the lovely Bruhilde to work me kinks out. Kinks! Heh, that's a good one. Anyways, we'll have a good go tomorrow if you still want, 'k?”

Not waiting for an answer, Grog leaves the place with food. Trinket chomps down his last sausage and scrambles to follow. When they reach the edge of town Grog notices Trinket again.

“Hey, you better get back to the castle. Pretty sure your mum wouldn't appreciate you joining me today.” His face scrunches up. “And the ladies might have some things to say about it, too.”

Trinket sighs, pouts, and even tries his Sad Bear eyes, but Grog is still pointing back to Percy Dear's Sister's den. Trinket mopes and turns around. He takes steps back towards the den, looking over his shoulder at the big man. Grog keeps going and when he turns a corner, Trinket turns as well. He runs to the corner. He waits until Grog turns another corner, then goes to that corner. He is being sneaky; Uncle Vax would be proud.

Soon he is outside the den Grog went in. Now Trinket is stumped. He is pretty sure Grog is right about the females not liking Trinket being in their den, but a bear can only be so sneaky when he is inside. He sighs, thinking about giving up and going back to Percy Dear's Sister's den. He decides to walk around Grog's ladies' den before he leaves.

When he reaches the back of the den, Trinket finds a trail up the side. He also hears Grog's laugh from the higher level. How lucky! Trinket climbs the trail to an opening where he finds Grog's scent. He peeks in the opening, and sees Grog. He ducks down.

Not wanting Grog to see he has not done as he was told, Trinket only looks inside every so often. He does not want to be a Bad Bear, but he needs answers to his questions. After a confusing sight (Trinket is pretty sure bears do not bend that way and is surprised that people do), he keeps his head down until he hears Grog saying goodbye. He pops his head up to see Grog putting coins on one of the wooden things that get scattered around these sorts of lairs. The female waits until Grog leaves, then runs over to drip the coins through her fingers.

Coins? Trinket is disappointed. He does not understand coins, even after living with Mama Vex for years. Coins will not help him win a wild female. He trudges down the den trail and back towards Percy Dear's Sister's den.

As he walks, he thinks about other males he knows who have attracted females. Uncle Vax has Keyleth, and Percy Dear and Mama Vex are together, although Trinket is not completely sure who has who between them. He remembers that Percy Dear makes Mama Vex many presents. The presents make her very happy. Bear paws are not good at making things, but they are good at catching things. He thinks he might be able to work something out.

Uncle Vax does not give Keyleth presents, at least not in front of his sister's bear. What he sees them do most is that mouth-mashing thing. Trinket does not understand mouth-mashing. It looks threatening, even dangerous, but he's seen Mama Vex and Percy Dear doing it, too. It may be something else he can work with.

Suddenly a gate hits him in the head. Trinket sits, moans and rubs where it hurts. This has not been a good day.


	2. Part 2

Trinket wonders if he will ever have another good day.

He wakes up this morning with a plan. He goes into the forest and catches a flat-tailed swimmer and a large red fish. He takes them to a flat rock near the wild female's den, roars, then fades in among the nearby trees after the female sees him, and watches. Her eyes follow his retreat as she slowly approaches the meat. She guts them, eats what comes out and takes the swimmer up to her den. When she comes back for the fish, Trinket has crawled on his belly halfway towards her. She stops moving. He slows, but keeps going forward. She keeps watching.

He reaches the flat rock, making sure she is between him and the fish. She has not attacked him and she has not run away. Trinket thinks this is a good thing. He crawls onto the rock with her, then slowly stands. She growls, so he stops. She stops growling. He takes a step closer. She stays quiet. He steps closer, ending up beside her. She looks at him, not trusting, but not threatening. He lifts his muzzle and moves it towards hers. Just before they meet

Oww! And she roars at him, grabs the fish and runs off towards her den.

OK, so mouth-mashing is not a wild bear thing.

He plods back through town. The path he has taken leads past the den where Pike spends a lot of time before it turns toward Percy Dear's Sister's den. He likes Pike. She is little and cute like a cub, brave and fierce like a grown bear, and gives good ear scratchings. He decides to rest in Pike's glowy den, gather his thoughts and figure out his next plan. He goes in, noticing he is the only one there, so he walks down the path between the... benches? Is that what Mama Vex calls things like that? He thinks so. When he reaches the end of the path, he moves to the side and lays down in front of the benches.

There are two shapes standing in front of the wall he is nearest. One is a large, shiny stone male and the other, closer one is a smaller stone female with wings Not stone people like Keyleth can become, but people like his family, only made of stone. The stone male looks tall and strong, but Trinket thinks he likes the female more. She looks like she would understand if a bear's paw got stuck in the last jar of honey even after his mother told him to leave it alone, they are having guests over for tea. The male looks like he would scold.

Trinket rests his head on his paws, still gazing up at the female. She glows like Pike sometimes does. As he watches the glow leaves the stone and drifts down to him. It... she sits beside him, scratching behind his ears, scrubbing at his back and sides, and playing with his toes. He feels warm when she touches him, warm and loved. He lifts his nose to nuzzle her face.

“Trinket?”

The glowing female is gone. Pike enters the room from a back door.

“What are you doing here, buddy?” Pike pats his shoulder. Trinket thinks she feels like a lighter touch of the glowing female. “Are you look– Trinket, your muzzle! What happened? Let me fix you up, big guy.”

Trinket leans his head against her body as she takes away the sting of the wild female's strike. Pike always feels good. When his nose is better, she backs away a little and he gives her a big lick on the cheek to say Thank You (Thank You is polite). She giggles and scratches his face fur. She stands up. He does the same.

“You're welcome to stay if you want, buddy.” Trinket appreciates the invitation, but he has new plans to make. He gives Pike another lick before leaving her den.

As he walks back to Percy Dear's Sister's den to get his thoughts together, he thinks of others who could give him ideas. Scanlan, maybe. Except Scanlan spends most of his female time like Grog does, and that will not work. He sings to win Pike, but that never works. Besides, Trinket does not think he himself sings very well.

There is the new male, the shiny one with the metal friend. Trinket is not sure about him or his knowledge of females, though, so the new male will be his last choice.

Trinket moves through the place where the fighting men practice until he sees someone leave the den where they sleep. He knows this man; this is the man who saved Mama Vex in the underwater place. The man is cranky, grumbly, and often not fun to be with. Trinket owes the man everything, though, so he snuffles his nose under the man's arm. The man jumps.

“Holy sh–! Trinket? That's you, right?” He taps the head cover Mama Vex wants Trinket to wear whenever he is out of the den. “I suppose it's not likely another bear stole your helmet and figured out how to wear it. Or would even want to.”

Trinket coughs in agreement. He remembers that the man is something Mama Vex calls “married”. He is not sure what “married” is, but he knows that it has to do with females. Maybe the man can help Trinket. He asks the man just that. The man does not answer, so Trinket tries again. When the man still does not answer, Trinket pushed his nose into the man's armpit again.

“Geeze, Trinket, what's going on?”

Trinket grumbles his question about females. The man stares, not understanding. Trinket starts to ask again, but the man stops him. “Sorry, guy. I don't speak Bear, but I know someone who does.”

The man leads the way back into the town, to the place of the man his family likes so much. The shop, that is what they call it. The grumbly man walks in and calls, “Hey, Z, you still here?”

Trinket goes in and sits in the bear place just inside the door. The shop man made it a special Trinket place when they found out that Bad Bear things happened when Trinket moved too far into the shop.

The grumbly man goes to the back of the store, where the shop man speaks with the red woman. Trinket likes the red woman. She can talk to him, and she is one of Mama Vex' favorite people.

“What do you need, Kash?”

“I, ah, I've got Vex' bear here, and I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think he wants to have a conversation. Can you translate?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It keeps growing!
> 
> Next chapter should be the last, though.
> 
> And yes, Seranrae is very fond of Trinket. Why wouldn't she be? :)


	3. Part 3

“Of course, darling.” The red woman runs her claws through Trinket's back fur, says some words (at least Trinket thinks they are words. He does not understand them, though), and moves her hands. When she is done, she says, “Good morning, Trinket dear. How are you today?”

_Hello. I am fine._

“Good. What would you like to talk with Kash about?”

Trinket takes a deep breath. _Females._

“Females?” The red woman blinks and sits back. “You want to talk with Kash about females?”

_Yes._

“Kash, he wants to talk to you about girls.”

“Girls? Me?”

“It seems you could use some tea,” the shop man says. He goes through some lumpy, clacky vines to another part of the shop. Trinket thinks he hears the shop man's deep, rolling laughter, and wonders what is funny.

The red woman turns back to Trinket. “Darling Trinket, we will help however we can, of course, but why do you want to talk with Kash about women?”

_I... know a female bear._ Trinket notices a bit of dry skin between two of his front toes. He licks and chews at it as he talks to the red woman. _She is pretty and smells good. I would like to be friends with her._

“That makes sense, dear, but what I meant to ask is 'Why Kash?'”

_Is he not married?_

“Well, yes, he is, in a way, but–“

_Does not married mean for a male to have a female?_

“Yes, in many cases, but–“

_So why can he not tell me how it is he has her?_

“Oh, by the gods. Kash, I'm passing this to you.” The red woman tells the grumpy man what Trinket says.

“Thank you, Z, sooo much. I can't tell you how much I appreciate this.”

The red woman shrugged.

“Umm, OK, ahh, Trinket, two things. First, marriage isn't always between a guy and a gal. And two, even when it is, the guy isn't always the one who chooses.”

_So your female chooses you?_

“Well, she's only sort of female, but yeah, she did. Or I was picked for her.”

_So you cannot help._

“I'm sorry. I don't know how.”

Trinket gave the red woman Soulful Bear eyes. Maybe she could help?

“Have you spoken with Vex, darling?”

_She's my mother._

“I know, dear, but she knows the most about bears and... and... bears.”

_She's my mother!_

“It's your decision, Trinket dear, but if you don't wish to talk to Vex, I'm afraid I don't have any other suggestions for you.”

Trinket is disappointed. It's not their fault, though, so he gently nudges his head against the red woman, gruffs “goodbye” to the gumpy man and the shop man and leaves the shop to trudge back home.

Trinket makes it inside Percy Dear's Sister's den. He wonders where to go next, then Mama Vex calls as she comes down the inside trail.

“Trinket, my love, are you all right? Pike said she healed some claw marks on your nose.”

Wonderful timing. Trinket grunts and nudges her aside as he climbs the trail.

“Trinket!”

That is Mama Vex' where-do-you-think-you're-going-young-man voice, maybe with a little extra surprise in it. For a moment Trinket thinks about walking on, but he is a Good Bear and Good Bears listen to their mothers. He turns around, sits down and moans a 'sorry' as his head droops.

“That's better.” She waves her hands and says words he doesn't understand like the red woman did. “Now, darling, tell me what's going on.”

_I am trying things._ He sighs. _They are not working._

“Trying things? What sort of things?”

Trinket thinks for a moment and realizes the red woman is right. Mama Vex is the right one to talk to. 

_There is a female bear in the forest. I would like to mate with her, but I do not know how..._

“How what? How to... mate?”

Trinket growls in frustration. _I know that. Even if I did not know before, since you and Percy Dear started–_

“OK, this conversation has officially become non-foyer-friendly. Let's find a private spot to continue.”

The climb the inside trail. Trinket wonders why they need to be alone when only he and Mama Vex understands what they are saying. Her face has become redder, but she is not glaring right at him, which would mean she was mad. Instead she is looking down and to her side. He thinks he must be missing something.

Mama Vex finds an empty lair that has the soft things for laying on. She sits on one of the smaller ones. He sits on the floor in front of her so they can see each other, because they are Having a Discussion.

“So there is a female bear in the woods,” She states, once they are settled. “Exactly what more about this do you not know?”

_I do not know how to make her want to mate with me. She would not want Grog's coins. Even if I could sing like Scanlan, singing does not work even for him. Percy Dear's presents help, but she does not like uncle Vax' mouth-mashing. The grumpy man knows less than I do, and the red woman says I should talk to you._

Mama Vex blinks at him. “OK, umm, well, I don't think what I have to say will make you very happy. Trinket dear, you can't make someone want you. It doesn't work that way.”

_How does it work?_

“Well, the best way I've found is to show them who you are.” Mama Vex seemed to look inside herself. “Then they decide. If it's right, they decide on you.”

_What if she does not decide on me?_

“Then you move on. You may be friends, or you may not. Bears are usually solitary, so I'm leaning towards not, but you have a wonderfully special heart. If you want it, I'd bet on you.

“But, darling, you can't make someone want you, anymore than you can be made to want someone you don't.”

Trinket whuffles a sigh through his jowls. _You were right. This does not make me happy._

“I'm sorry, my love.”

Trinket snorts and shakes himself. He leans over to give Mama Vex a big 'thank you' lick up her face. She does not tell him what he wants to hear, but he thinks she tells him what he needs to hear.

“Can you tell me about her?” She wraps her arms around his neck and fluffs his ruff.

_Tell you?_ Trinket thinks. _Well, she is pretty. That is not the important thing, but she is. Her fur is brown like a mink, with red and yellow shiny bits when she is in the sun. She is lean now, but I am sure she will bulk up for winter._

_She is brave, but not mean. She fights males twice her size when they try to take from her, but if she has enough she will share._

_She is a good mother. Maybe as good as you._

Mama Vex leans away so she can look at him. “And how do you know that, dear?”

_I watch her with her cubs. She has two. She teaches them, protects them, brings them food. She plays with them too, when she can. Like you and me._

“Her cubs are still with her?”

He nods as, tired of sitting, he plops himself down to lie on the floor.

“Well, that explains it.” She kneels down and picks up his head with both hands, ruffling his face fur affectionately. “Darling, bear mothers don't want males near when their cubs are still around. Males often kill another male's cubs so they have less competition and better chances to mate themselves.”

_But I would never hurt her cubs. They are cute and hers._

“Oh, love, I know that, but she doesn't. She can't see the special, loving bear I see; for the sake of her cubs, she can only see the threat you might be. You're right, she's a very good mother.”

_So what do I do?_ Trinket moans.

“You wait. Or you find someone else.”

* * *

Trinket sits in the woods watching the female play with her cubs in a clearing. She is teaching the male cub how to climb down a tree when the female cub wanders into the treeline. The grown female does not see the little one leave the clearing. Trinket decides to follow the little female.

They walk for a little time. Trinket hears some chuffs from off to the side. He tries to catch up with her, but before he can there is a strange male in her path.

The male has noticed the little female. He sniffs, roars, then advances on her. Trinket is happy he lives with people, because he can be quiet as he runs. Of course he is not as quiet as Uncle Vax or Mama Vex, but he can charge the side of the male without triggering an attack on the cub.

The fight is brief, but nasty. Trinket is clawed across the chest and has a bitten front paw, but the other male is much worse off as he drags himself away. Trinket turns to the cub and sees the grown female standing, close enough to see but too far to reach them if something bad were to happen.

He noses the cub, telling her to go to her mother. She does and chatters about scary bears, her new friend and being saved. Her mother looks confused. When she looks back at him, Trinket nods to her.

The two head toward their den. Trinket waits, then limps in the direction of the town.

He thinks he is OK with waiting for her.


End file.
